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The Voice of the People

In the early-1990s, concerned citizens formed Oregon Death with Dignity to write and pass a law that would allow dying patients to control their own end-of-life care. In 1994, Oregonians voted to support Measure 16 -- the Oregon Death with Dignity Act and reaffirmed their support of the law by defeating Measure 51 in 1998 by an even wider margin. Despite the overwhelming public support for Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, the law was challenged until the US Supreme Court ruled to uphold Oregon's law in 2006. Read more about how the specific challenges and victories of Oregon's Death with Dignity Act.

After the extensive challenges to Oregon's Death with Dignity Act found the law just and lawful and ten years of data showing no evidence of a slippery slope for vulnerable individuals, the voters of Washington state passed the second Death with Dignity Act in 2008.

History of Death with Dignity National Center

In partnership with supporters and Death with Dignity National Center in Washington, DC, Oregon Death with Dignity successfully defended the law against numerous legal and political attacks -- including Measure 51 in 1997, two congressional efforts to nullify the law and legal battles in the federal courts.

In 2004, Oregon Death with Dignity merged with Death with Dignity National Center, to build both a powerful bulwark against attacks on the Oregon law and significant resources to help other states pass Oregon-type death with dignity laws.

States' Statisical Reports
The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) monitors and enforces compliance with the Oregon Death with Dignity Law and produces an annual report each spring.

According to Oregon Department of Human Services, 65 terminally ill patients used the Oregon law to hasten their own deaths in 2010. See more details about who used the law and why. Previous years' reports:

• 2009 Report and detailed Table
• 2008 Report and detailed Table
• 2007 Report
• 2006 Report
• 2005 Report
• 2004 Report
• 2003 Report
• 2002 Report
• 2001 Report
• 2000 Report
• 1999 Report
• 1998 Report

Read the Oregon Department of Human Services' FAQ about the Oregon law.

The Washington Department of Heath (DOH) monitors and enforces compliance with the Washington Death with Dignity Law. Read statistics on usage of the law in Washington State.

The law in Washington State was implemented in March 2009. The Washington DOH has released its first full year of reporting. According to the report, in 2010, 51 terminally ill patients used the Washington law to hasten their deaths.

• 2010 Report
• 2009 Report

Find out more about the Washington State Death with Dignity Act.

The Oregon Death with Dignity Act: A Guidebook for Health Care Professionals, developed by the Task Force to Improve the Care of Terminally-Ill Oregonians.

The Final Months of Life: A Guide to Oregon Resources, also developed by The Task Force to Improve the Care of Terminally Ill Oregonians.

• Who can request physician-assisted suicide?
  To use the Oregon or Washington law, patients must be: 18 years of age or older, residents of one of the states, able to make and communicate their own health care decisions, and diagnosed with a terminal illness with six months or less to live. The attending physician must decide whether these criteria have been met.
  
• Can a non-Oregonian or non-Washingtonian use the law?
  No. Only patients who establish Oregon or Washington residency can use the law if they meet certain criteria.
  
• How does a patient establish residency?
  A patient must provide the attending physician proof of Oregon or Washington residency. Proof can include an Oregon or Washington drivers license, documentary proof that the patient rents or owns Oregon or Washington property, an Oregon or Washington voter registration, a recent Oregon or Washington tax return, etc. The attending physician must decide whether the patient has adequately established residency.
  
• How long does it take to establish Oregon or Washington residency?
  There is no minimum residency requirement. A patient must simply be able to prove he or she is a current, bona fide Oregon or Washington resident.
  
• Can a non-resident move to Oregon or Washington to use the law?
  The law does not prevent anyone from moving to Oregon or Washington. However, reports show that few, if any, patients had moved to Oregon or Washington to use the law.

Safeguards
Several safeguards ensure that patients who wish to use the law are protected and in full control of the process. The Oregon and Washington laws require that the patient...

• make two verbal requests -- separated by 15 days -- to the physician,
• make a written request to the attending physician and the request is witnessed by two individuals who are not primary care givers or family members,
• is able to rescind the verbal and written requests at any time, and
• is able to self administer the prescription.

The law further requires that...

• The attending physician must be Oregon or Washington-licensed.
• The physician's diagnosis must include terminall illness, with six months or less to live.
• The diagnosis must be certified by a consulting physician, who must also certify that the patient is mentally competent to make and communicate health care decisions.
• If either physician determines that the patient's judgment is impaired, the patient must be referred for a psychological examination.
• The attending physician must inform the patient of alternatives, including palliative care, hospice and pain management options.
• The attending physician must request that the patient notify their next-of-kin of the prescription request.

The Oregon Department of Human Services and Washington State Department of Health enforce compliance with the laws. Compliance requires physicians to report all lethal prescriptions to the Oregon Department of Human Services and Washington State Department of Health. Physicians and patients who comply with the law are protected from criminal prosecution. Choice of legal physician-assisted dying in Oregon or Washington cannot affect the status of a patient's health or life insurance policies. Physicians and health care systems are not obligated to participate in the Oregon or Washington Death with Dignity laws.

Defend dignity. Take action.

You are the key to ensuring well-crafted Death with Dignity laws for all Americans. With your financial and volunteer help, the Death with Dignity National Center, a 501(c)(3), non-partisan, non-profit organization, has been the leading advocate in the death with dignity movement. Member contributions helped us pass a new Death with Dignity law in Washington, defend the Oregon law, and provide education and outreach programs for the vitality of the death with dignity movement.

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About Death with Dignity

The greatest human freedom is to live, and die, according to one's own desires and beliefs. From advance directives to physician-assisted dying, death with dignity is a movement to provide options for the dying to control their own end-of-life care.

Death with Dignity National Center is the leader in this movement, successfully establishing, advancing and defending the landmark Oregon and Washington Death with Dignity Acts.

Learn more about our family of organizations.

Political Action Fund

The Death with Dignity National Center partners with the Oregon Death with Dignity Political Action Fund to conduct lobbying and political activities in order to achieve the enactment of Death with Dignity laws in other states.

Learn more about the Oregon Death with Dignity Political Action Fund.

Patients & Families

The Death with Dignity National Center was formed out of a profound commitment to the idea that personal end-of-life decisions should be made solely between a patient and a physician. We are pleased to provide you with support and information as you face the difficult challenges ahead.

Find resources for patients and families.

Research Center

We have compiled a comprehensive collection of legal briefs, journal articles, and newspaper clippings. We invite you to explore the wide array of information we have collected throughout our history.

Dive into the archives of the National Center.